Evaluating Libraries
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The document discusses evaluating libraries and their services, programs, and collections. It covers the requirements for evaluation from the New Mexico Administrative Code and outlines a process for libraries to follow. This includes starting with strategic plans and clarifying goals and objectives, determining desired outcomes, selecting appropriate evaluation tools, and analyzing and reporting findings. Evaluating collections involves starting with the collection development policy and doing assessments of sections. The purpose of evaluation is to guide improvements and ensure the organization is achieving its mission and meeting community needs.
![Welcome Who We Are Pam MacKellar [email_address] Eleanor Bernau [email_address]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/9-22-10-100923112959-phpapp02/85/Evaluating-Libraries-2-320.jpg)
![“ The mere fact that a library service is being used [or a program attended] does not mean that the service [or program] makes a difference or has a positive impact on the user.” Botha, E., Erasmus R., and Van Deventer, M. 2009. “Evaluating the impact of a special library and information service.” Journal of Librarianship and Information Science , vol. 41(2), pp 108-123.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/9-22-10-100923112959-phpapp02/85/Evaluating-Libraries-18-320.jpg)
![Thanks! Pam MacKellar [email_address] Eleanor Bernau [email_address] Feel free to contact us if you have questions later](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/9-22-10-100923112959-phpapp02/85/Evaluating-Libraries-20-320.jpg)
Evaluating Libraries
- 1. Evaluating Libraries Presented by Eleanor Bernau and Pam MacKellar September 22, 2010 11 am – 12 noon An Online Management Course for New Library Directors in New Mexico Webinar
- 2. Welcome Who We Are Pam MacKellar [email_address] Eleanor Bernau [email_address]
- 3. Welcome What we will cover today Evaluation and New Mexico State Library requirements What is Evaluation and What Good is it? The Evaluation Process: Library Programs and Services Evaluating Collections Questions
- 4. Evaluation & the NMSL The New Mexico Administrative Code (NMAC) 4.5.2.9 requires specific plans & policies in order to receive a Public Library Grant (aka State Aid). NMAC 4.5.2.9.C-8 states: Library shall have a community analysis and assessment , a long-range plan and a collection development policy that are reviewed and updated on a regular basis…. See Plans & Policies in the Librarian’s Toolkit on the NMSL website. See the Certification Study Guide: Planning for Results, pp. 28-32.
- 5. What is Evaluation? The systematic and ongoing assessment of an organization’s progress toward Living its mission Reaching its goals Achieving desired outcomes Meeting the needs of the people it serves A critical part of the planning process Strategic Plan Evaluation Collection DP
- 6. What Good is Evaluation? Guides you in providing the best services, programs and collections possible Verifies that you are doing what you think you are doing Provides information about how to improve Helps ensure the survival of the organization Creates opportunities for alternative funding
- 8. The Evaluation Process Library Services and Programs Step One Start with your strategic plan
- 9. The Evaluation Process Library Services and Programs Step Two Clarify your library’s goals, objectives, programs and service priorities What are GOALS ? They are broad, general outcome statements: “The Successful Public Library’s resources and services are easily accessed and meet the diverse and changing information needs of our customers.” What are OBJECTIVES ? They are S.M.A.R.T. - precise time-based, measureable actions that support the completion of a goal: “During 2010 the library will increase programming by 100% to help people in tough economic times.”
- 10. The Evaluation Process Library Services and Programs Step Three Determine the desired outcomes
- 11. The Evaluation Process Library Services and Programs Step Four Decide what you want to know What is a SMART objective? It’s S pecific, M easurable, A chievable, R ealistic, T ime-bound. What do SMART objectives tell you? What will be accomplished and how it will be measured.
- 12. The Evaluation Process Library Services and Programs Step Five Select the appropriate evaluation tool
- 13. The Evaluation Process Library Services and Programs Step Six Analyze and report findings
- 14. The Evaluation Process Library Services and Programs The Evaluation Plan
- 16. The Evaluation Process Collections Step One Start with your Collection Development Policy
- 17. The Evaluation Process Collections A Simple Collection Assessment Process Choose one section to start Assign to staff member with interest/expertise in subject Determine use of section Appearance Size Age Formats Repeat
- 18. “ The mere fact that a library service is being used [or a program attended] does not mean that the service [or program] makes a difference or has a positive impact on the user.” Botha, E., Erasmus R., and Van Deventer, M. 2009. “Evaluating the impact of a special library and information service.” Journal of Librarianship and Information Science , vol. 41(2), pp 108-123.
- 19. Questions?
- 20. Thanks! Pam MacKellar [email_address] Eleanor Bernau [email_address] Feel free to contact us if you have questions later
Editor's Notes
- #2: Pam - Welcome attendees and explain Wimba interface
- #3: Eleanor: Introduce yourself Pam: Introduce yourself
- #4: Pam
- #5: Eleanor – NM Adm. Code – specific plans/policies mentioned for State Aid Librarians’ toolkit – Plans & Policies section Certification Study Guide
- #6: Pam Eleanor – From the Link to: Librarian’s Toolkit, Plans and Policies, http://www.nmstatelibrary.org/services-libraries/programs-services/source-book
- #7: Pam
- #8: E – mention that the evaluation process can be incorporated into the planning process. (What is evaluation? From p.1 of Wk3 reading) (Why evaluate? – From p.2-3 of Wk3 reading) Emphasize: it’s about the people! See: Study Guide, Planning for Results, p. 28 Library Services and Programs What is evaluation? “the systematic and ongoing assessment of an organization's progress and success in fulfilling its mission, goals and objectives using a variety of qualitative and quantitative measurement techniques.” Why evaluate? To tell us how to make improvements or adjustments for more successful programs or services To understand, verify or increase the impact of programs or services on the people who use or participate in them To increase efficiency and cost-effectiveness To identify strengths and weaknesses
- #9: Pam: Use Sample St Plan as handout Many kinds of strategic planning methods Here is example (See handout) Others: Balanced Scorecard for example includes Performance Measures
- #10: Eleanor – [See Reading Wk2, p.5- ] See also Cert. Study Guide: Planning for Results, p.31 [SMART is explained in slide 11]
- #11: Pam
- #12: Eleanor Explain SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound – objectives SMART objectives tell you what you need to measure: They state what will be accomplished and how it will be measured.
- #13: Pam Explain different evaluation tools
- #14: Pam
- #15: Pam
- #16: Eleanor – explain what a collection assessment is, what it tells us and why we do them. Briefly 1.) What it is: 1,2,3 (See also p.8 of Wk3 reading.) 2.) Why – 1,2 State Aid, etc. Emphasize it’s about the people! SEE ALSO: Study guide – p. 43-45 Librarian’s Toolkit – Policies & Procedures What is collection assessment? It is used to guide the development of the collection by telling you what should be in the collection, how to select/deselect (weed) materials based on community needs. It is to tell you what your collection looks like now. It is part of the collection development process. Why evaluate the collection? To determine usefulness and relevancy of the collection to library patrons. To receive State Aid, the library must have a Collection Development Policy [NMAC 4.5.2.9.C-8], which is defined as “guidelines used by the library staff for making decisions about budget, selection, management and preservation of library collections.”
- #17: Pam Review community needs assessment and update collection development policy if necessary
- #18: Pam mention MUSTIE method from CREW method CREW MANUAL - From Study Guide, p. 58: CREW= C ontinuous R eview, E valuation, and W eeding “ Please see the 2008 revised CREW manual published by the Texas State Library at http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew/ and this website, http://www.perma- bound.com/Weeding, both of which have useful tips and weeding strategies.” MUSTIE ACRONYM from Study guide, p. 60 “… weeding guidelines are taken from the Texas State Library’s The CREW Method: A weeding guide for modern libraries , 2008.” [Weeding] criteria are summarized by the acronym, MUSTIE: M = Misleading (and/or factually inaccurate) U = Ugly (worn and beyond mending or repair) S = Superseded (by a purchased new edition or by a better book on the subject) T = Trivial (no discernible literary or scientific merit) I = Irrelevant (to the needs and interests of the community) E = Material that can be obtained Elsewhere (through ILL or reciprocal borrowing )
- #19: Pam- how you use numbers and statistics to prove your worth Use them to your advantage by taking another step
- #20: Both